Hat stretching machine



Aug. 8, BOESCH 1,921,450

HAT STRETCHING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

M 2 1 INVENTOR GUSTAV S. BOESCH BY /MuI/ ATTORNEY Aug. 8, 1933. G. s. BoEscH HAT STRETCHING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGZ INVENTOR GUSTAV s. BOESCH BY #WZ K4411.

TTORNEY Aug. 8, 1933. G, 5 BOESCH 1,921,450

HAT STRETCHING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

FIG. 5

INVENTOR GUSTAV S. BOESCH BY A a/7 ATTORNEY G. S. BOESCH Filed July 22, 1930 FIG. 4

g i Q E I ('0 n z 52/ 62 i E I z 69 5 1 9 72 E) l I 74 ii i. 1'4 i! s r i H 7 HAT STRETCHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR GUSTAV S. BOESCH BY dd A TORNEY Patented Aug. 8, 1933 HAT STRETCHING MACHINE Gustav Boesch, Danbury, Conn.

Application July 22, 1930. Serial No. 469,757

11 Claims.

permit of greater speed in the stretching oper:

ation.

Another and related object of the invention is to provide a hat stretching machine which 6 will reduce the number of hats broken in the stretching operation, which trouble is encoun-- tered in brim stretching machines of the type used at present, especially when stretching lightweight hats.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a lower head or former, on which the hat rests in the stretching operation, with expanding ribs which will have a relatively small amount of movement when pressure is applied thereto by theaction of the pivoted fingers on the hat.

A feature of the invention is therefore the provision of a compressible member in the lower head or former to permit the spread of the expanding ribs to, be reduced by the pressure which is applied to the hat by the action of the pivoted fingers and expanding ribs.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of means'to prevent the lower head or former from changing its angular position with respect to the pivoted fingers when pressure is applied to the hat by the expanding ribs and pivoted fingers.

Another object of the invention is to provide suitable means for adjusting the spread of the expanding ribs while at all times maintaining the expanding ribs in a fixed angular position with respect to the pivoted fingers.

Other and related objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, part of which is broken away to provide a better disclosure of the structure of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view on the line F 33 of Fig. l;

" Fig. 4 is a central vertical section of the lower head or former on which the hat body rests in the stretching operation; and

Fig. 5 is a plan viewof one of the details used in the lower head or former.

Similar reference characters have been used preferably by means of a shaft 28.

throughout .the several views of the drawings to indicate the same parts.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the mainframe preferably comprises side pieces 1 and 2, an upper cross-plate or pan 3 and a lower crossplate-4. A central shaft 6 is arranged to move vertically in bearings 7 and 8, which are located in the upper cross-plate 3 and lower cross-plate 4 respectively. This central shaft 6 carries a lower head or former 9, the detailed construc- 65 tion of which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and which will be later described in detail. The shaft 6 is moved upward by a treadle 10 and its associated lever and link mechanism. The treadle 10 is preferably associated with treadle 70 bars 11 and 12, which treadle bars are arranged to pivot at 13 and 14 around a shaft 15. The shaft '15 is preferably attached to the rear legs of the side pieces 1. and 2. One endof 'each of the links 16 and 17 is attached to the treadle 75 bars 11 and 12 at 18 and 19 respectively. The other ends of the links 16 and 17 are attached to levers 20 and 21 respectively at 22 and 23 respectively. The levers 20 and 21 are preferably v arranged to pivot around a shaft 24, and the 80 shaft 24 is preferably attached to the side pieces 1 and 2. One end of a ladder 25 is attached to the levers 20 and 21 at 26 and 2'7 respectively, Theother end of the ladder 25 is preferably attached to a '85 guide boss 29, which guide boss 29 has associated with it a boss 30 which is arranged to move in a vertical slot 31 in the guide 32. Preferably the guide 32 has the shape of aninverted T-and is rigidly; secured to, the upper 9 cross-plate or pan 3 at 33 and-to thefront, legs of the side pieces 1 and 2 at 34 and 35 respectively. A counterweight 36 is. associated with the levers 20 and 21 to move the shaft 6downjward when pressure is removed from the treadle Stretching fingers 37 are hinged to a top plate or inner ring 38, which is preferably rigidly attached to the side pieces 1 and 2. The stretchingv fingers 37 are actuated by the reciprocating motion of a horizontal finger plate or outer reduce vibration effects to a minimum. The crankshaft 44 is preferably supported in a bear ing 45 which is secured to the lower cross-plate 4 and located adjacent the side piece 1 and a similar bearing, not shown, which is also secured to the lower cross-plate l and located adjacent the side piece 2. To facilitate the assembly of machine the crankshaft 44 is preferably built up from a straight shaft and two excentrics 47 and 48, rigidly fastened to the shaft. Preferably also, to reduce vibration to a minimum, each of the excentrics l! and 48 is balanced by means of counterweights es and 50 respectively, which counterweights are preferably made integral with the excentrics. The connecting rods 42 and 43, associated with the excentrics 47 and 48 are preferably located within the interior of the frame side pieces 1 and 2 as shown. The upper ends of the connecting rods l2 and i3 are preferably associated with a yoke member 51, as shown, at 52 and 53. (See Fig. 3.) The yoke member 51 is secured to the vertical shafts 40 and 41 at 54 and 55 respectively. These shafts, i0 and 41, which as stated above, support and actuate the horizontal finger plate or outer ring 39, are preferably associated with the frame by means of the bearings56, 56 and 57, located in side piece 1 and similar bearings 58, 59 and another bearing, not shown, located in the side piece 2. Preferably also the shafts so and 41 are located so that the central shaft 6 is substantially on a straight line between the two shafts 40 and 41 and substantially midway between them. The yoke member 51, which is secured to the two shafts i6 and 41 is preferably shaped as shown in 3. This yoke aids in producing a uniform driving force on the two vertical shafts so and 41 andtherefore aids in reducing the vibration in the machine and -1lbs62 are secured to the upper flange 61 by means of upper supporting trunnions 63 studs 64; Links 65 connect the expanding and ribs 62 with a' lower flange 66 by means of lower supporting trunnions 65 and studs 68. Vertical guide pins 69 are associated wlth'the upper flange 61 and lower flange 66 to maintain the two flanges in a fixed angular position with respect to each other, while permitting the verticaldistance between them to be varied. Preferably the guide pins'are secured to the upper flange 61 and pass through the lower flange 66. 1While only'two guide pins 69 have been shown three or more may be employed if desired. lhe central bushing 66 passes through an opening in the lower flange 66. The lower part of the lower flange 66 preferably has a cylindrical opening-70, larger than the central bushing 60, to receive a compressible member 71, which is preferably a rubber cushion surrounding the central bushing 60. One end of the cushion 71 rests against a shoulder 72 of the opening 70.

An adjusting plate or anvil 73, which is preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 5, is assembled at the lower end of the opening and rests against the rubber cushion 7i. Projections 74 on the adjusting plate or anvil 73 fit into similar shaped openings 75 in the lower flange 66, thereby permitting the adjusting plate or anvil 78 to move vertically from stop plates 76 upward, and preventing it from rotating about the central bushing 60. The hei ht of the rubber cushion 71 is preferably selected so that the cushion 71 is under an initial compression when the adjusting plate 73 and stop plates 76 are assembled to the lower flange 66. A barrel nut 78 is preferably provided to adjust the spread of the expanding ribs 62 by moving the lower flange 66 upward f om the position shown, and a lock nut 76 is provided to lock the barrel nut 78 in the position desired. As the barrel nut 78 moved upward it engages the adjusting plate or anvil 73 and moves it upward and away from the position shown against shoulder 77 on the central bushing 66. A downward pressure on the expanding ribs 62, due to pressure applied to the hat by the pivoted fingers 37, will cause the lower flange 66 to move downward thereby moving the adjusting plate or anvil: 73 away from its normal position. shown against the stop plates 76 and compressing the cushion member 71. This permits a limited decrease in the spread of the expanding ribs 62. When the pressure on the expanding ribs 62 is removed the cushion member 71 expands and causes the adjusting plate or anvil 73 to return to its normal position against the stop plates 76 and causes the lower flange 66 to return to its normal position. Preferably, the rubber cushion should be selected, with regard to the weight of the hats being stretched, that the amount of pressure required to compress the cushion 71a given amount is less for the lighter weight hats than for the heavier weight hats. This may be accomplished by employing cushions 71 of different lengths so that they are under different. degrees of initial compression, by employing spacers fitted between the rubber cushion 71 and the shoulder 72 of the lower flange 66, by varying the diameter of the rubber cushion 71, or employing other suitable means for adjusting the amount of pressure required to regulate the. change in the spread of the expanding ribs.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to 'be limited to the specific embodiment that has been shown and described in detail, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

i l "hat is claimed is: l

1. In a machine for stretching hat bodies, a former on 'ch the hat is held, said former including an upper projecting therefrom, means for adjusting the of expanding ribs, said means including links with said expanding ribs, 9. lower flar supporting said links, means for adjust:

vertical position of said last mentioned with respect to said first mentioned flange, and 1" cans associated with said lower for pc mited change in the spr=ad of said s when pressure thereto, last me ned means .ible mean. or.

2. In a machine for strething hat bodies, a former on which the hat is held, said former including an upper flange having expanding ribs projecting therefrom, means for adjusting the spread of said expanding ribs, said means including links associated with said expanding ribs,- a lower flange for supporting said links, means for adjusting the vertical position of said last mentioned flange with respect to said first menflange having expanding tioned flange, means associated with said lower flange for permitting a limited change in the spread of said expanding ribs when pressure is applied thereto, and vertical guides associated with said upper and lower flanges for maintaining themin a fixed angular position with respect to each other.

3. In a machine for stretchinghat bodies, former on which the hat is held, said. former including an upper flange having expanding ribs projecting therefrom, means for adjusting the spread of said expanding ribs, said means including links associated with, said expanding ribs, a lower flange'for supporting said links, means for adjusting the vertical position of said last mentioned flange with respect to said first mentioned flange, and means associated with said lower flange for permitting a limited change. in the spread of said expanding ribs when pressure is applied thereto,.said last mentioned means including a rubber cushion.

4. In a machine for. stretching hat bodies, a former on which the hat is held, said former including an upper flange having expanding ribs projecting therefrom, means for adjusting the spread of said expanding ribs, said means including links associated with said expanding ribs, alower flange for supporting said links,

means for adjusting the vertical position of said mitting the vertical distance between them to be varied. I

5. In a machine for stretching hat bodies, a former on which the hat is held, said former including an upper flange having expanding ribs projecting therefrom, means for adjusting the spread of said expanding ribs, said means including, links associated with said expanding ribs, a lower flange for supporting said links,

means allowing a decrease in the spread of said expanding ribs whenpressure is applied to said hat and vertical guide members associated with said upper and lower flanges for maintaining them in a fixed angular position; with respect to each other when-the spread of said expanding ribs is decreased by the pressure applied to said hat.

6. In a machine for stretching hat bodies, in combination a frame, a'former on which the hat is held, said former including an upper flange having expanding ribsprojecting therefrom, a

vertical shaft associated with said former, a

ladder, means including said ladder for mov ing said shaft vertically, and means for preventing said shaft from rotating, said last mentioned means comprising a guide member cooperating with a boss member, one of said members being associatedwith said shaft and adapted to have said ladder secured thereto and the other of said members being associated with said frame, said last mentioned member being fastened to the front part of said frame.

7. In a machine for stretching hat bodies, in-

combination a frame, a former 'on which the hat isheld, said former including an upper flange having expanding ribs projecting therefrom, a

vertical shaft associated with said former, 'a I ladder, meansincluding. said ladder for moving said shaft vertically and means for preventing said shaft from rotating, said last mentioned means comprising a guide member cooperating wtih a boss member, said boss member adapted to have said ladder secured thereto and to be securedto saidshaft, said guide member being associated with said frame and having an inverted T-shape and a horizontal portion with ends,

the ends of the horizontal portion of said guide member being fastened to the front part of 9. A former for hat stretching machines comprising an upper flange having expanding ribs I projecting therefrom, means for adjusting the spread of said expanding ribs, said means including links associated with said expanding ribs,

a lower-flange for supporting said links, means for adjusting the vertical position of said lower flange with respect to said upper flange, said last mentioned means including a central bushing associated with said flanges and a barrel nut lli associated with said bushing, and means for causj ing a limited change in the spread of said expanding ribs as the pressure on said ribs is changed, said last 'mentioned'means comprising a cushion member adapted to be compressed by pressure applied to said lower flange through said links and an adjusting plate associated with said cushion member and said barrel nut.

10. A former for hat stretching machines com prising an upper flange having expanding .ribs

spread ofsaid expanding ribs, said means including links associated with said expanding ribs, a lower flange for supporting said links, means for adjusting the vertical 'position'of said lower flange with respect to said upper flange, and means for causing a limited change in'the spread of said expandingribs as the pressure on said ribs is changed, said last mentioned projecting therefrom, ,means for adjustingthe means including means for varying the amount I of change in the spread of said expanding ribs as the pressure on said ribs is changed from one given amount to another given amount.

11. In a machine for stretching hat bodies, a former on which the hat is held, said former including projecting ribs, stretching fingers co- .operating with said. projecting ribs for applying pressure to said hat, and a compressible member for controlling the relative spread of said projecting ribs and stretching fingers with respect to each other whenpressure is applied to said hat by said stretching fingers and projecting ribs;

GUSTAV s.- BOESCI-I. 

